María Tomasa Palafox, Duchess of Medina Sidonia

Doña María Tomasa Palafox y Portocarrero, Marchioness of Villafranca and Duchess of Medina Sidonia (1780–1835 ), was a patron and muse of the painter Francisco de Goya y Lucientes and the wife of Francisco de Borja Álvarez de Toledo, 12th Marquis of Villafranca.

In his famous painting, Goya portrays the Marchioness de Villafranca as an artist with brush and maulstick in her hand. She has interrupted her work at the easel and leaning back in her armchair, she is scrutinising her model, her husband—invisible to the viewer—who is posing for his portrait. He must have been seated facing sideways with his profile to the artist, unable to turn the attention to his wife until the picture was done. Goya honoured his aristocratic "colleague" with the inscription of her name on the palette; he himself signed his work with his signature on the arm of the chair. The marchioness, who is fashionably dressed in the Empire style, was certainly more than just a dabbler in art. She was an honorary member of the Madrid Academy, which also honoured her with an award.

Children From her marriage to the Marquis of Villafranca, she had 9 children : Francisco Álvarez de Toledo y Palafox (1799–1816), who became the 10th Duke of Fernandina before he died aged 16. María Teresa Alvarez de Toledo y Palafox (1801–1866), who married Joaquín Florencio Cavero de Ahones y Tarazona, 6th Count of Sobradiel. Pedro de Alcántara Álvarez de Toledo y Palafox (1803–1867), who married María Joaquina del Pilar Silva y Téllez Girón, a daughter of José Gabriel de Silva-Bazán, 10th Marquis of Santa Cruz and Joaquina Téllez-Girón, 2nd Countess of Osilo, in 1822. Maria del Rosario Tomasa Álvarez de Toledo y Palafox (1805–1870), who married Pedro Caro y Salas, 4th Marquis of La Romana, son of General Pedro Caro Sureda, 3rd Marquis of La Romana and Dionisia de Salas y Boixadors, in 1826. José María Alvarez de Toledo y Palafox (1812–1885), a twin; he married María del Carmen Lucía de Acuña y Dewitte, 9th Marchioness of Casa Fuerte, a daughter of Manuel Lorenzo de Acuña, 10th Marquess of Bedmar, and María Antónia Antonia de Witte (a daughter of Carlos José de Witte y Pau), in 1837. Ignacio Álvarez de Toledo Palafox (1812–1878), a twin; Maestrante of Sevilla.

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